Barbara Allen helped develop Australias first animal chaplaincy program at Lort Smith Animal Hospital. She is passionate about animals and about stewardship of all creation, and is the author of numerous books, including I Was There, Pigeon, Animals in Religion, and Pelican. Allen serves as an ordained minister in the Uniting Church in Australia (a Methodist/Presbyterian/Congregational merged church), and in a voluntary capacity as the grief support person for Story Dogs, a charity that uses dogs to help children become confident readers. She lives in Melbourne, Australia.
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Reviews
"With contemporary stories, historical facts and examples, psychological and sociological research, and even etymologies, Broken Heart, Shared Heart, Healing Heart reaches across time and place to assure us that for as long as humans have lived with animals, weve felt their loss as a potent grief. And it offers what weve learned about living well with their loss. This book builds a camaraderie of wounded, healing hearts." --Gayle Boss, author of All Creation Waits and Wild Hope
"If youve experienced the love and loss of a treasured nonhuman companion, this gem of a book is for you. Filled with wisdom and compassion, it is a true salve for the grieving heart." --Leah Kaminsky, physician and author of ten books, including Dolls Eye
"Losing a pet is heartbreaking. Broken Heart, Shared Heart, Healing Heart by Barbara Allen is a beautiful book that recognizes the loss of a pet and offers comfort and guidance by exploring how people process grief, different ways you can honor your pet, and how some religions view the death of a pet. I highly recommend this special book that will bring comfort to those grieving their pet." --Joanna Rowland, author of The Memory Box: A Book about Grief
"Barbara Allens time as an animal chaplain has given her incredible insight into pet loss and how profound grief can surround the loss of a furry family member. With great love comes great grief, and Allen gives excellent insight into the human-animal bond. We dont discuss grief and death enough as a Western society, and this book gives examples of how other cultures handle the death of a beloved pet and ways we can cope with this profound loss. Pet parents and people in the veterinary field will benefit from reading this comforting and well-written book." --Kaitlin Howard, MSSW, certified pet loss coach at Lap of Love Veterinary Hospice